High capacity mass storage subsystems are typically made up of a plurality of storage devices such as disk drives to minimize the extent of data loss in the event of failure of a single device. Such an organization also aids throughput by distributing the location of the data across multiple storage devices. Some systems deliberately distribute the data and error correction codes across multiple storage devices in ways that permit full recovery of the data even if one or more of the devices fails.
The storage arrays are designed so that groups of storage devices share the same backplane. The backplane or midplane connects common signals such as power, control, or data lines to each storage device. The backplane typically also connects the storage devices to input/output controller cards.
When the storage device fails mechanically, the failed device does not interfere with the operation of the remaining devices. When a common bus is used to distribute electrical signals, however, the failure of a single drive may place the common bus in an undesirable latched state which renders the remaining drives inaccessible or otherwise results in loss of control of the remaining drives. In order to avoid the risk of a single electrical failure affecting all devices connected to a controller card on the same backplane, individual signal lines may be used for each storage device.
For example, each device may be connected to the I/O controller card with its own control line. This requires a dedicated connector pin or signal line on the I/O controller card for each control line and the I/O controller must drive each line separately. If a drive fails, then other drives would be unaffected.
One disadvantage of this approach is that the architecture is not readily scalable. In an enclosure with 15 devices and 8 control signal lines per device, 120 distinct control signal lines per I/O controller card would be required. The large number of distinct control signal lines add cost and complexity to the realization of the storage array as well as the I/O controller card.